He laughed. “Sure, kid. You got a video.”
“Get my phone. I’ll show you.”
He thought for a second, then shook a finger at her. “If you’re lying to me…” But he marched upstairs, coming back down a few minutes later with her phone.
“Okay,” he said. “How do I get in?”
“Connect the dots in an L shape starting at the top corner.”
He squinted at the screen, his fat fingers tracing the pattern. It took him three tries. “Here.” He showed her it was unlocked. “Now what?”
“Gallery. Then videos. It’s the first one.”
He watched it while she listened and mentally replayed the scene in her head. When it was over, he stared at the screen for a second, then his fingers started tapping away like he was playing Angry Birds.
“There. I deleted it.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Really? You think that’s all you had to do? I already downloaded it to my computer, you numb nut. You think I wouldn’t make a copy? Multiple copies?” She blew out an exasperated breath.
Fat Eddie’s expression flattened. “You little piece of—”
He backhanded her, splitting her lip and filling her mouth with the taste of blood. Pain radiated through her face. She spit the blood out. “You feel manly hitting a woman tied to a chair? Punk. You’re going down so hard when my friends get here.” If they got there. Before she was dead.
He leaned in, his face so close to hers she could smell his garlicky breath. “Where’s the laptop?”
“19 Hitchcock Lane.” Maybe if she sent them to Hugh’s, he’d figure out what happened and come after her. It could be her only chance.
Fat Eddie pointed one of his sausage fingers at her. “If you’re lying about this, I’m gonna kill you myself.”
Hugh stripped the pillow case off Delaney’s pillow. He paused and gave Captain a scratch on the head. “I’m going to find her, don’t worry.”
He was talking to a cat. That’s how insane Delaney’s disappearance had made him. Shaking his head, Hugh marched downstairs to where Stanhill, Merrow, his deputies and a few others had gathered, including Nick the gargoyle and Merrow’s fire chief brother, Titus.
Julian and Sebastian met him as he hit the landing. “I didn’t expect to see you two here.”
Sebastian’s appraising gaze held less judgment than Hugh would have expected. “You love her?”
“I do.”
“Then we’re here to help.”
Julian nodded, oddly serious. “We understand she might be in real danger.”
“Yes.” Hugh explained about Rastinelli and the confrontation with his men outside of Howlers.
“Mafia? They still exist?” Julian rubbed his hands together. “This might actually be fun.
Sebastian pointed to the pillow case. “Merrow going to track her?”
“All the shifters are.” Hugh nodded. “And that needs to happen now.” He left his brothers behind and went to Merrow, handing him the pillow case. “This will have her scent.”
He sniffed it and grimaced. “Is she a shifter?”
“No, she’s human.” Hugh frowned. “Why?”
Merrow sniffed the linen again. “I smell cat.”
“That’s Captain. He sleeps with her.”
“That explains it.” Merrow nodded. “I can find her. Provided they’re in one of those cabins.”
“And if they’re not?”
“I’ve already put a BOLO out on the black SUV with the partial plate Nick was able to get.”
“Good. Let’s go.” Hugh was leaving on his own if things didn’t get underway in the next sixty seconds. Because if Rastinelli’s men had her…there was no telling what was happening to Delaney right now. If they hurt her, he would kill them.
Hell, he was going to kill them if they left one little bruise on her.
Merrow held his hand up. “We’re going in three teams. Hugh, Stanhill and I will be the first. We’ll handle the east side.” Merrow tossed the pillow case to Titus, who’d left the fire station to help. “Titus, you’ve got a radio? “
Titus nodded and held the two-way up. “Right here.”
“Good. You take Julian and Sebastian and go west. Give the pillow case to Alex and Nick after you’ve locked on to her scent.”
Titus passed the pillow case to Merrow’s deputy Alex Cruz, a panther shifter. He took a good whiff, then passed it to Nick. Both men nodded. They were ready to go.
Merrow pointed to Nick, who was standing by Merrow’s other deputy, Jenna Blythe, a Valkyrie. “You, Jenna and Alex go straight north. Alex will lead as tracker.”